Foreign Surgical and Medical Mission
Foreign Surgical and Medical Missions (FSMM) are joint efforts between foreign medical professionals and their local counterparts to provide free medical, surgical, dental, and other health-related services to underserved communities. Regulated by the country’s Department of Health (DOH) - specifically through the Bureau of International Health Cooperation - these partnerships draw from diverse backgrounds to deliver much-needed medical and surgical services to underserved areas.
Since 2014, HAND-Philippines has sent doctors, nurses, and other medical and non-medical volunteers from the United States to participate in FSMMs. Community-based, these mobile clinics travel to three to five locations per trip. Healthcare workers offer screening tests, essential treatments for common ailments, and public health education programs. Close partnership with the Municipal Health Office (MHO) ensures follow-up care and referrals for patients post-mission.
HAND-Philippines continues to broaden its impact by meeting a broader range of healthcare needs. In 2024, we will embark on our first hospital-based FSMM in partnership with local surgeons. To address a greater range of health issues underserved communities face, a hospital-based approach allows for more complex surgeries, such as routine elective procedures like cholecystectomies, hernia repairs, and thyroidectomies.
Adopt-a-Rural Health Unit Program
HAND-Philippines provides material, technological, and financial support to Rural Health Units (RHUs), village-level health stations run by the local government. We maximize impact by targeting RHUs in impoverished communities recovering from natural disasters to enhance their capabilities to deliver evidence-based, sustainable community healthcare.
Working closely with RHU staff, local officials, and stakeholders, we identify the specific unmet needs within each community, and support is tailored to address these unique challenges. Collaboration is key. HAND-Philippines and our local community partners jointly develop plans, processes, and goals to empower the RHUs and contribute to their long-term sustainability. We recognize that addressing the community's unmet needs and fostering self-sustainability are crucial steps toward improving the overall health and well-being of the population in the long run.